


heat ; keith x reader

by arriettyjade (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Other, Voltronlegendarydefender - Freeform, keithkogane - Freeform, keithxreader - Freeform, mulletboy, voltronismydrug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 15:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/arriettyjade
Summary: the quest for freedom is won through sacrifice





	1. Chapter 1

the beginning of the end

 

Six ... Yeah, that seems right.

You were sitting on the floor, your back leaning against the wall parallel to the chamber's door. Slouching forward with your chest pressed against your knees, you stared down at the ground with half-open, bloodshot eyes.

In your weary state, you were unable to string thoughts together, let alone do anything. The guards must have laced your food with sedatives again.

You laughed quietly to yourself. Those eight-foot, alien jackasses are afraid of an unarmed prisoner? Maybe that's the reason why they put you in an isolated cell ...

Regaining focus, you noticed a lonely ray of light shining through a crack in the heavily-barricaded door. It was traveling down a straight, narrow path on the ground that ended a few centimeters beside you. You reached out, touching the luminescence with your index finger.

Closing your eyes, you tried to feel the beam's warmth. But it was too dim, too small.

 

Alone in an empty room, with no contact from others, you kept yourself busy by focusing on time. The time between your meals, the time between your naps, the time between then ... and now.

Then was six months ago. You left your old world behind you. Your memories were too hazy to remember why, but it definitely wasn't on purpose. God, how you missed home - friends and family, wearing fuzzy socks during winter, even shitty movies ... Everything you didn't appreciate until now.

 

A creaking noise brought you back to reality. You lifted your head and realized the door was now open. A broad silhouette was standing in the threshold.

"Get up." Their gruff voice commanded.

You stayed motionless.

"That wasn't a request! Get up from the floor!" They barked, storming inside. The guard yanked you up onto your feet, digging his claws into your neck.

Wincing in discomfort, you moved your sore legs and stumbled out into the hallway.

 

It took some time for your eyes to adjust to the brightly-lit corridors. The Galra was pulling you through areas of the ship that you'd never seen before. Your joints ached as you walked for what seemed like centuries.

Where the hell is this guy taking me?

Eventually, you stopped at a set of sliding, metallic doors. Two lofty beings were guarding whatever was inside. They were dressed in strange cloaks and unsettling masks that covered their faces.

Without exchanging any words, the two masked entities grabbed you by your forearms and the Galra soldier left.

A sudden rush of fear took over you. You tried squirming out of their grasp to no avail. You've never seen people like these before. The alarm bells in your head were wailing, there's no way this would end well.

"Don't whine." One of them hissed into your ear, "She's very eager to meet you."

A million questions raced through your head as they pulled you inside. You noticed a woman who was standing beside an elevated table. Her white hair, hunched posture, and malicious smirk underneath her hood made her look like a witch ... A peculiar witch with lavender skin and gleaming, yellow eyes.

"Who are y-you? Wh-Where am I?" You stammered, immediately regretting that you spoke.

"A-Are you sc-scared?!" She replied, mimicking your stuttering voice. "I promise that I'm friendly."

She observed the two extraterrestrials as they forced you over to the table. They revealed restraints from under their cloaks, slipping them onto your limbs. You could feel as they tightly strapped your wrists and ankles down onto the table's cold surface. You tried tugging on them, but you were unable to move.

The woman hummed softly, sparks of dark electricity forming at her fingertips.

Yep, definitely a fucking witch.

"Let's start off simple." She began, staring into your eyes. "And I will know if you lie ... Am I clear?"

You nodded slightly, trying your hardest to stay calm. Freaking out wasn't an option right now.

You are strong, Y/N. They will never break you.

"What do you know about ... Voltron?" The woman continued, leaning over you.

Voltron?

You didn't answer.

"Don't be shy now ..." She growled, scratching the side of your face with her fingernails. "The more you comply, the faster this will be."

"I ... I don't know what you mean by Voltron." You mumbled, your heart pounding anxiously in your chest.

She frowned angrily, placing her palm on the sides of your head. Pain shot through your skull, making you shout and twitch uncomfortably.

"Do the Paladins have contact with Earth?" The witch yelled, pulling her hands back. "Did they show you the Blue Lion's cave?"

"I ..." You croaked, trying to catch your breath. "I don't understand!"

"Lies!" She yelled.

Another wave of unbearable pain rushed through you. This time you were squealing through gritted teeth until it ceased.

You gasped, your lungs desperate for air. Blood boiled in your veins when you noticed her content face.

"What are you hiding?" She continued, "Do you know where they are?!"

"I know nothing!" You muttered, tears forming in your eyes. "You're wasting your time!"

"Think harder!" The witch replied.

By now you were flat-out screaming, begging for her to stop. Every ounce of you was pleading for relief from the agony. You imagined the torture equivalent of having your skin burned and torn off your body.

"I could easily scrap that tiny, insignificant brain out of your head for the answers." She threatened, her merciless gaze searing a lasting image of this in your mind. "Would you prefer that?!"

"N-No ..." You managed between sobs.

"Then confess!" She insisted, "What do you know about the Voltron Paladins?!"

"I said, I don't-!" You began.

Without hesitation, she asphyxiated you with her electricity. You tried fighting back, but the restraints refused to loosen.

"Take her back to her cell. We can finish this at another time." She stated, looking over at the masked creatures. "Besides, I want her to feel what else is in store."

They untied the restraints and pulled you off the table. You tried standing but your wobbly knees instantly gave out. Your vision went blurry when you collapsed onto the cold floor.

 

Your head was spinning, but you processed that they were dragging you through the halls.

You started screaming for death, wishing for anything else than this hellhole.

They threw you back into your cell, leaving you in a bloody and bruised mess. You laid silent and motionless on the ground.

 

Fuck.

That's all you could think. The word played on repeat in your head like a record. Fuck those monsters, fuck your life, fuck hope and mercy ...

You were broken.

You stayed up all night, waiting for a Galra to return for you.

 

Then the emergency sirens went off.


	2. Chapter 2

a 'no rescue' policy

 

"I'll never understand you, Keith." Shiro thought aloud, breaking the silence.

He was wandering through the castle corridors with the former Red Paladin. They hadn't seen it each other for weeks since Prince Lotor declared his alliance with the rebels.

Keith had been avoiding his friends until now.

"Shiro, I ..." Keith began, frowning worriedly. He was afraid to speak, noticing the rage in the Black Paladin's steel-colored eyes.

He stopped walking, his anger turning into fear.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" He shouted. His artificial fingers grasped onto the sleeve of Keith's jacket. "You'd be dead if-!"

"Sorry ..." Keith muttered, his stomach aching with guilt. "But at the time, it was the only way to save the mission.

Shiro paused, letting go of him. "We are your family, we care about you." He began, studying Keith's face. "I'll never get that image out of my head ... Your fighter jet, flying full speed towards that-"

"Stop it, please!" He begged, his face contorting with regret.

"I don't want you doing that again ..." Shiro continued, resting his hand on Keith's shoulder. "If you were gone, I could never forgive myself."

Keith was taken aback by Shiro's sudden emotions. Ever since he left the Paladins to join the Blade of Marmora, he felt detached from the team. Would they actually miss him?

"I know." He said, "I'm so sorry ..."

"Keith to the control room!" Coran's shouted over the castle's speakers. His cheery voice echoed throughout the hallways.

"I'll come with you." Shiro insisted, forcing his grimace frown into a smile.

 

They entered the castleship's hub. The doors slid closed behind them. Keith spotted Allura and Coran by their panel monitors. "What's going on?"

"Keith," A voice began.

Their heads turned to the projection screen to see Kolivan standing in the frame.

"You're needed at the Blade of Marmora's base as soon as possible." He explained, his voice brittle and low-pitched. "We are experiencing a situation that requires your help."

"Is everything alright?" Shiro asked him, "Voltron is ready if-"

"What's going on?" Lance wondered, entering the control room. Hunk and Pidge followed inside with puzzled looks.

"I cannot disclose the details." Kolivan continued.

"Is Keith leaving again?" Pidge asked, her eyebrows furrowing from worry.

"Wait, what?" Lance objected, scowling at Keith. "But you just came back!"

"Uh ..." Keith began, his tone uncomfortable. "How long will I be there?"

"Only a few vargas." Kolivan promised.

"Why does it have to be Keith?" Allura asked, a bit suspicious. "Isn't there enough members at the base to-"

"I'm on my way." Keith decided.

"Thank you, Paladins. I apologize for this inconvenience " Kolivan stated, before exiting off the screen. "We'll be awaiting your arrival."

Keith could feel everyone's eyes on them. He struggling for the right words to say. "I wasn't expecting this." He told them, "I'll be back soon.

Anxiously, he hurried to the door, expecting an unhappy disapproval from the others.

"Hold on," Shiro said.

Keith turned back hesitantly to face them with an apprehensive expression. "Y-Yeah? ..."

"Message us when you can." Allura grinned softly.

"We'll be waiting for you." Hunk chuckled.

"Yeah, you can't escape us forever." Pidge joked with a wink.

"Stay safe, mullet boy." Lance laughed, shooting finger guns at him.

Keith nodded, his lips curling up into a smile.

 

Landing his pod, Keith stepped out onto the Blade of Marmora's hangar. He looked around in confusion. There was no danger, no Galra fleets, nothing was wrong. The headquarters were in the same tranquil state they had always been in.

Kolivan and three others approached his spacecraft.

"Thank you for coming," Kolivan said, gesturing with his arm towards the doorway. "This way."

"Wait, what's going on?" Keith wondered, reluctant to follow. "I want to know."

The four paused, thinking of a way to explain their bizarre situation. "We returned from an intel breach two quintants ago with some ... unexpected cargo." Kolivan began, leading them inside. "We have a 'no rescue' policy, which Themis broke by returning with a prisoner."

The extraterrestrial beside him groaned. "And I received my punishment ..."

"How does this involve me then?" Keith asked with a perplexed look.

"They aren't fond of our physical appearances. They think we're apart of the Empire." Another answered, "The second they woke up, they engaged a fight with our medics."

Keith could tell where this was going. He didn't know to calm someone, especially a frightened stranger. "I can't help them."

"I understand your hesitation, but we're relying on you." Kolivan told him, "We had to confine them to avoid violence. They refuse food and medicine."

"And what will happen if I don't?" He replied.

"They will starve," Kolivan answered, his voice grim. "Or we'll just have to put them out of their misery."

Keith sighed, he didn't want to.

But then his mind imagined how the Paladins would react. Would they hate him if he refused to help someone?

"Alright, take me to them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you've enjoyed reading so far; i love reading comments, critiques, and suggestions! there will be slow updates but i promise many more chapters are on the way. 
> 
> thank you so much for the support! <3


	3. Chapter 3

who are you?

 

Your eyes frantically darted around the room.

None of this makes sense.

Sitting upright in your cot, you waited for the inevitable. They would take you in for another interrogation, right? That witch-bitch was just trying to pull a sick joke on you.

You stared down at your forearms and wrists. They were carefully wrapped in gauze and bandages.

 

"Inside here." A voice uttered from outside.

Your head turned to the room's locked door and adrenaline starting pumping through your veins. You could feel as your chest rapidly rose and fell with short, shallow breaths of air.

"You should take this with you." They continued.

"I think it would be better if I went in without a weapon." Another spoke, their tone much lighter yet anxious. "Just stay by, Kolivan."

Suddenly, the door swung open. You could feel the world come to a screeching halt.

An oddly-dressed Galra soldier walked in, pulling the door closed behind them.

Shit.

You scrambled backwards on the bed, hitting your back on the headrest with a loud thud. Then you froze, petrified like a deer in front of headlights.

You studied the stranger, realizing they were doing the same with you. The Galra was surprisingly short compared to his towering, monstrous accomplices.

"Y-You're ... a human?" They whispered under their breath, keeping a good distance between the two of you.

"Get away from me!" You shouted, mustering up as much strength and aggression in your voice as you could. It was time to prepare for the worst.

"Please," They continued, slowly raising their hands in front of them. "I swear I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're one of those purple-fuckers!" You barked, "Of course you want to hurt me!"

"I'm not- Wait ..." They paused, "Here."

They placed their hand in front of their disguised face. You flinched slightly as the mask dematerialized. A human's face greeted you from underneath.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I still had this on." He laughed slightly, "Maybe I shouldn't have worn my Marmora uniform."

You stayed silent, analyzing him.

 

You first noticed he was a young man with fair skin. Judging by first glance, he was in his late-teens. Bits of jet-black hair peeked out of his hood and fell onto his forehead. Yet the feature that stood out the most was his eyes.

The room's light reflected off of them. Those beautifully bright, indigo orbs that shined back at you.

 

You noticed he was flashing you an uncomfortable smile.

"Take off your hood ... Please?" You requested.

He nodded, reaching up and pulling his hood back onto his shoulders.

No giant Galra ears.

"You really are a person ..." You whispered, "B-But why are you dressed like ... them?"

"Them?" He replied, "The Galra?"

You nodded your head.

"A group of Galra rescued you from a prisoner ship." He explained, "They're not all bad people."

"N-No," You stammered, shaking your head. "You don't get it. They're disgusting, all of them!"

"I cannot imagine what you've been through." He began, staring at the scars and bruises that covered your body. "But I'm here to help you understand ... I only need you to trust me."

"I ... I can't." You muttered, turning your head away from him.

He stepped closer to you, causing a wave of panic to rush through you.

"St-Stop!" You shouted, a choked cry escaping your throat.

He sat down on the edge of your cot. You jumped up onto your knees, now backing up into the wall.

"I'm Keith Kogane." He told you, "Can I at least know your name?"

"Uh ... Y/N." You replied warily.

"Well, that's a start, Y/N." Keith smirked, "Is it okay if I ask ... how you ended up so far out in space?"

You shuddered at the thought. "The Galra ... abducted me. " You answered, "But I can't remember why. Everything is so distorted in my head."

Even if I get out of here, I won't be able to find my family ... I'll still be alone.

You returned to reality, realizing that Keith's hand was resting on top of your wrist.

"That's okay," He replied, noticing your discomfort. "It'll come back over time, I promise."

You frowned, pulling your arm back from his touch. "H-How do you know?"

"Well, uh ... I know someone a lot like you." Keith stammered, "My friend, Shiro ... At first, he couldn't recall much. But now, he's a lot better."

"What do you mean by better?" You wondered.

"Shiro is himself again. A born leader." He explained, "He's a Voltron Paladin and pilots the Black Lion ... Have you heard about Voltron before?"

Voltron. Voltron. Voltron. Voltron. Voltron. Voltron.

That witch's voice echoed in the back of your head. You winced, mumbling incoherently.

"Y/N?" Keith asked, watching you curiously. "Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yeah." You stuttered, placing your hand on your forehead. "I just ... remembered something."

"What did you-?" He began.

"I'd rather not talk about it." You answered, stopping him. "I wish I could forget about it."


	4. Chapter 4

trust me, trust us

 

You stayed behind Keith as he led you towards a group of Marmora members that were waiting down the hallway. The dozen or so Galra were sitting in silence, either on hand-held gadgets or resting against the corridor walls.

One turned his head and made eye contact with you. His forehead was covered in crimson marks, and you noticed a large, faded scar underneath his right eye. He wore a threatening scowl that caused your stomach to do a somersault.

"K-Keith ... Keith?" You whispered, your voice trembling with fear. You grabbed his arm, trying to slow him down. "I can't do this ... I'm sorry."

He laced his fingers through yours, giving you a quick glance. "They want to help ..." He replied quietly, "Please, Y/N."

You nodded, exhaling a shaky breath.

 

The Galra that you first noticed was the one who introduced you to the others. His voice was somewhat familiar.

" ... And my name is Kolivan." He said, "I trust that Keith has explained enough about me and the Blade of Marmora."

"Y-Yes." You mumbled.

"Good." Kolivan replied, "Themis, take her to the medical wing. And Keith ... I need to talk to you."

"W-Wait ..." You mumbled, looking over at Keith. "I don't-"

"Kolivan, I think it'd be best if I stay with Y/N." Keith requested, squeezing your hand gently.

"It'll be a moment." He insisted.

Keith hesitantly released your hand and watched as you were escorted away. He continued watching until you disappeared down an intersecting hall.

"Why did you want to-?" Keith wondered, looking back at Kolivan.

"While you were talking to the refugee, we decided what we'll be doing with her." He explained.

"Wh-What?" Keith stuttered in confusion.

"We're sending her to a trading bazaar in the neighboring quadrant." Kolivan answered, "A Taujeerian family of merchants said they'll take her."

Keith remembered when Voltron protected a colony of Taujeerians from the Galra Empire. The corpulent, grub-like extraterrestrials seemed considerate, yet they easily irritated him and the other Paladins.

"They will ... take Y/N?" Keith replied, furrowing his eyebrows.

"They promise to house her. It's not like we're selling her as a pet." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "It seems like an ideal solution to our problem." 

Keith crossed his arms over his chest. "Y/N isn't a problem, she's a person." He argued, "Couldn't she have a say in where she lives for the rest of this war?"

"You don't understand." Kolivan growled, "I've talked to everyone I could. Puigians, Reiphods, Arielians ... even the Freedom Fighters. These Taujeerians are the only ones who are willing to help."

"There's got to be-!" Keith shouted, losing his temper.

"Like you said, this is a war." He continued, "She won't stay with the Blade of Marmora, we have our own responsibilities."

 

The medic plunged the syringe into your shoulder. You clenched your fist, digging your fingernails into the skin of your palm. 

You looked away as the needle drew blood, gritting your teeth as you waited for them to finish.

Footsteps filled the room. Your tense expression lightened when you realized it was Keith.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, walking towards you with Kolivan close behind him.

"Yeah, uh ... what were you two doing while I was-?" You stopped, noticing that the medic was whispering to Kolivan.

 

"Everything checks out, well ... obviously except her poor nutrition." They murmured quietly, looking over their shoulder at you. "She'll be sent off to the shopkeepers in the morning."

"Good." Kolivan replied in a hushed voice, "The faster we get rid of her, the better."

Shopkeepers?

 

"Y/N?" Keith wondered, studying your face carefully. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? ..." You mumbled, still watching the pair out of the corner of your eye.

"You paused in the middle of your sentence." He continued, "Are you sure that you're okay?"

You focused back on him, recollecting your thoughts. "S-Sorry, I'm just ... lightheaded." 

"I'll get you some water then." He insisted, heading over to a nearby sink.

He returned with a metallic mug, walking steadily after filling it to the brim. You reached out, taking the cup from his hands and hastily drinking most of its contents. 

When incarcerated, the Galra gave you enough to keep you from dying of dehydration, so your body was always in pain from thirst. The moment the rim touched your lips, you remembered how cool and clean water could be.

You relaxed, dropping your shoulders.

"I would have gotten a pitcher if you asked." Keith joked.

You snorted, spilling a bit of water on yourself. 

"Feeling better?" He wondered, grinning slightly.

You laughed, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand. Raising your head, you noticed Kolivan was watching you again. "How you could live here ... with their eyes always on you?" You whispered, "Especially being the only human."

"Well, I'm not exactly a-" Keith began before pausing. 

He pulled a small device out from his pocket. The gadget resembled a cell phone with its bright orange screen and soft ringtone. His smile dropped into an irritated frown when he read the text it displayed.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. Give me a second." Keith explained, putting the gadget against his ear. "Lance, why are you-?!"

You could slightly hear the person that replied. "It's getting late." They interrupted, clearly bitter and upset. "What's going on?"

"Is that Keith?" A deeper, authoritative voice wondered. 

"Tell him to get his ass back here!" Another added, the pitch of their voice sounding feminine yet boyish at the same time.

"Pidge!" A fourth person gasped, noticeably anxious from their tone.

"Paladins, don't bombard him." Someone warned, talking with a slight accent.

"Thank you, Allura." Keith replied, "And everything is fine, but I'm staying overnight."

The five voices began arguing, complaining, and expressing their concerns all at once.

Keith sighed and ended the call.

"Who were they?" You asked curiously.

"Uh .. My family, I guess." Keith thought aloud.

"You should go to them." You told him, "I'll be fine on my own."

"A-Are you sure?" He stuttered, a bit surprised.

"You've done so much for me already." You grinned, "It's the least I can do for you."

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you've enjoyed reading so far; i love reading comments, critiques, and suggestions! there will be slow updates but i promise many more chapters are on the way. 
> 
> thank you so much for the support! <3


End file.
